Pointing The Blame
by Boo112
Summary: Rated M for sensitive scenes that may be upsetting to some. Peter & Carla are at the beginning of their relationship together, and so are Ken & Deirdre. But Suzan's anger at Deirdre moving-in with them results in disastrous consequences... Please Read & Review!
1. Chapter 1

_**So welcome to my latest "Young Carla & Peter" Fic. So just to give you a bit-of background Carla & Peter are both 17. Carla lives with her Druggie Mother, her Dodgy Step-Dad and her Younger Brother, Rob. And Peter & Suzan have only been living with their Dad for about a year, having grown-up in Scotland with their Grandparents after their Mother's Death when they were just Young Children. Ken & Deirdre are in the early stages of their relationship but Peter & Suzan haven't built-up much-of a Step-Motherly relationship with Deirdre yet. **_

Peter Barlow & Carla Donovan had been seeing each-other for around 5 Months now. The Young Couple were both 17 Years Of Age, and things hadn't been easy for either of them. Carla's Mother & Step Father weren't the most loving of Parents and they most certainly were not so keen on Peter, and neither was Carla's Younger Brother Rob, which always caused problems for them all.

And as for Peter, well he had only this time last-year returned from living-in Scotland with his Grandparents after his Mother's Death when he was just a Young Little Boy. And both himself & Suzan were still struggling-to settle-down into life with their Father again. Their home life was difficult and argumentative, and Peter would often escape to Carla's, just to get away from it all when it all got too much.

That afternoon, after College, Carla was round-at Number One Coronation Street with Peter, where he lived. They were sat cuddling-on the sofa together when Suzan arrived-home from College aswell.

"Hiya Suz." Peter greeted his Twin-Sister with as he wrapped his arms around Carla's shoulders.

"Hiya Peter, Hiya Carla." Suzan replied-to them both. "Where's Dad?!" Suzan asked her Twin Brother curiously.

"In the Rovers with that Deirdre woman again.' Peter sighed with frustration.

"Again?! Ugh, she annoys me. She treats us like we're about 5 Years Old, and that if she mentions our Mum that we're gonna burst into floods. For goodness sake Peter, we're hardly weak and vulnerable children are we?! Does she not have her own life away from our Dad?!" Suzan complained.

"Look on the bright side though, hey Sis?! At least it gets him off of our backs for a bit." Peter told his Twin Sister calmly before turning his attention to Carla. "And it means that Me & You get to spend some time alone together without the risk of being caught." Peter said as he then captured Carla's lips into a rather-passionate kiss.

"Ugh." Suzan moaned-as she rolled her eyes at them both.

"Come-on Baby, let's go up to your room." Carla said, taking Peter's hands into her own as they both stood-up and she lead-Peter up the stairs…..

But that was the last that Peter would ever see of Suzan…..

Later-on that day, it was now dark, and Peter was no at Carla's, having agreed to spend the night with her. Suzan had also popped-out for a little-while, but had been less than amused when she had discovered that Ken had moved Deirdre in without even talking to her or Peter about-it. Deirdre was the last person that both her and Peter wanted living with them.

Ken had ushered Deirdre upstairs as the Father & Daughter argued.

"What the HELL were ya thinking Dad?!" Suzan shouted-at her Father.

"Well if you'd let me explain….." Ken trailed-off as Suzan interrupted him once-again.

"NO! Why should I let you explain?! Our Mum died when we were kids, which admittedly wasn't your fault Dad, but instead go facing up to the situation, to Me & Peter, you sent us away! And we HATED you Dad! We absolutely hated your guts! But that doesn't even compare to how much hate I'm feeling towards you right now! We don't even LIKE Deirdre, Dad! She's stupid, and you didn't even ask Me or Peter what we thought about her moving-in with us at all!" Suzan ranted & ranted.

"And I'm so sorry about that Suzan, I really am, but it was just a last-minute decision and that I can promise-you. But it's a decision that's been made, and it's too late to change that now." Ken told-his Daughter sadly.

"So you're putting your own pathetic needs before Mine & Peter's AGAIN! Some Father you are Dad….." Suzan said, almost in tears at this thought.

"Well what do ya expect me to do about it?! I can hardly ask Deirdre to leave now can I?! It would break-us up!" Ken exclaimed.

"Well maybe that wouldn't be such a bad thing?! I'm telling ya Dad, either she leaves, or I go! So what's your decision?!" Suzan asked nervously, she didn't have a clue where she would go if she had to leave, but she was going-to stand-by her decision whatever may happen to her as a result of it.

"Suzan, you can't possibly be putting me in that position?!" Ken asked his Daughter a little tearfully.

"Well I am Dad. So deal with it." Suzan cried-to her Father rather fearfully.

"I'm in love with Deirdre, Suzan." Ken tried-to explain to his Daughter, but it was too late for all of that.

"Right, that's all I needed-to hear." Suzan said before leaving the house, slamming the door shut behind her and then walking-out into the pouring-rain.

Over-at Carla's, Peter had received a text from Suzan…..

_**Suzan: Dad's let Deirdre move-in. I've left. See you around Bro. X **_

"Argh!" Peter groaned-in pure frustration as he threw his phone across Carla's bed.

"What is it?!" Carla asked-him.

"Dad's let Deirdre move-in and so Suzan's walked-out…..Great One Dad! I swear he doesn't even care about us anymore!" He said angrily.

"Alright Peter, just calm-down okay?!" She replied-to him, rubbing his arm soothingly.

"No. This can't happen. I can't let this happen. I need to see Suzan, and quickly!" Peter said as he rushed-down the stairs and out of the house that Carla's lived-in with her parents and her younger-brother Rob. Carla followed-him closely.

_**Peter: Meet me at the Red Wreck, we need to talk. X **_

Around half an hour later, Peter & Carla had arrived-at the Red-Wreck, and were both waiting by the swings like they had arranged with Suzan.

"Argh, come-on where is she?!" Peter asked, extremely angered by this whole situation.

"Peter, she's probably on her way. Just running late or something like that?!" Carla tried-to re-assure her boyfriend, she needed-him to stay calm, or else he'd end-up doing something that he would regret in the end.

"Well how can she just be running-late?! She's got nowhere else to go!" Peter shouted as he kicked the pole of the swings frame forcefully.

"Peter! What have I told ya already?! Just calm-down okay?!" Carla warned-him really quite sternly.

"I'm Sorry Carla, but how could my Dad do this to us?! He knows that Me & Suzan both can't stand the sight of Deirdre! I mean, yeah my Dad's had other girlfriends since our Mum died, but we were living in Scotland then! We weren't part of their lives! But it's like Deirdre is trying to replace our Mum, but she'll never be my Mother, Carla! Never! I HATE Her!" Peter shouted, getting-himself worked-up again as a couple-of tears escaped his eyes.

"Peter, come-here." Carla said as she hugged her boyfriend, she felt so sorry for him, but there was nothing that she could-do about-it.

An hour or so passed-by, and Carla had convinced Peter that they should head back to his to see if Suzan had changed her mind and had indeed gone back home in the end. But they were both rather startled to find not only Ken & Deirdre at Number One, Coronation Street, but also two very sorrowful looking Police-Officers.

"We're so very sorry Mr Barlow." One-of the Police Officers said as Peter entered the room with Carla stood just behind-him in the doorway.

"Dad, what's going-on?! What are they doing-here?!" Peter asked worriedly, referring to the two Police-Officers that were in the room.

"It's Suzan." Ken said rather shakily, but he couldn't go any further as he was just too shaken-up to do so.

"Can I ask who you are Sir?!" The Other Police-Officer asked Peter.

"I'm Peter Barlow. He's my Dad, and this is my girlfriend, Carla. What's happened?!" Peter asked once-again, becoming increasingly concerned for Suzan's whereabout's now.

"It's Suzan, Peter, your Sister I believe?!" The Police Officer trailed-off.

"Yeah we're twins." Peter stated. "Where is she?!" He asked as Carla remained silent.

"Suzan was hit by a car this evening. And I'm afraid that she didn't survive her journey to hospital. She passed-away at precisely 8:33 this evening. We're so very sorry for your loss." The Police-Officers both explained before leaving the house, giving the now broken family some time and space to grieve by themselves.

"Oh Baby, come-here." Carla whispered, her voice etched with sadness as she tried to hug Peter tightly, but he just shrugged-her away.

"This is all your fault." Peter seethed at his Father through gritted-teeth.

Deirdre stood-up and slowly approached Peter. "Oh Love don't be like that." She told-him softly, placing a comforting hand onto his shoulder.

Peter forcefully smacked-her hand-away.

"GET OFF OF ME!" Peter shouted before running-off upstairs, slamming his bedroom door shut behind-him and just bursting into floods of tears.

"I should go after him….." Carla said, but Deirdre stopped-him.

"I should leave him if I were you Love. He's gonna need some time to process this awful-news." Deirdre softly explained-to the girl. Carla herself had never had much-of a problem with Deirdre, and infact had always gotten along quite well with the Older Lady, but then again, she wasn't Ken's Child…..

"Okay then. Ken, can I do anything for ya?!" Carla asked the broken-man extremely sensitively.

"Put the kettle-on." Ken said with a tearful voice.

_**Please-Review! **_

_**Coming-Up in this fic…**_

_- When Peter finally comes out of his bedroom he is angry and confused, can Carla support him through this?!_

_- Peter solely blames his Father for Suzan's Death. _

_- Carla & Deirdre pull together in an attempt to help the Father & Son through this grief-stricken hard-time… _


	2. Chapter 2

_**Wow, thank-you for all of you lovely reviews on the first chapter guys, I honestly didn**__**'t expect that! (: This story may take a couple-of chapters to get going properly so bare with me. **_

That evening was a very awkward one for a 17 Year Old Carla. She had now headed-upstairs after a couple-of hours of helping Ken & Deirdre out as best she could. Approaching Peter's bedroom, she knocked-on the door.

"Peter, can I come-in?!" Carla asked-him softly.

"NO!" Peter shouted through the door-in response.

"Peter….." Carla just sighed, deciding not to say anything further for a little-while, but just to wait outside the bedroom. After a minute or so, she could hear soft sobs coming through the door. Carla's heart instantly broke for her boyfriend.

"Peter, please let me in. You're crying, I know that you are, I can hear ya." Carla told-him softly, and after a few-seconds, Peter opened the door for her. When she entered the room, he was curled-up in a ball on his bed, with floods-of tears pouring out of his eyes.

Carla immediately ran-over to Peter, sitting next-to him and holding him tightly.

"I know it's hard Baby, but I'm here for ya." Carla told-him gently.

"I hate him." Peter said through his tears.

"What?!" Carla asked.

"My Dad. I hate him. I hate his guts." Peter told Carla deadly-seriously.

"Oh Baby, I know that you're angry with him, but hate is a strong word Peter." Carla replied, utterly shocked-by Peter's statement.

"My Twin Sister is dead, and it's all his fault." Peter said, before sharply getting-up from his bed and rushing downstairs, and Carla followed-him as quickly as she possibly could.

Peter opened the front-door, as if to leave, but Ken caught-him just as he was about-to do so.

"Peter, where are ya going?!" The utterly broken Father asked his Son, as Deirdre stood behind-him and Carla sat-on the stairs, just watching.

"Away from you." Peter replied-to his Father harshly.

"Peter I know that you're upset, but at times like these, families need to pull together." Ken tried-to explain to his Son.

"You Hypocrite!" Peter shouted. "When Mum died you sent Me & Suzan AWAY! That's not pulling together!"

"That was different Peter." Ken replied.

"HOW?! How the heck was it different?! Ya know what Dad, if Mum was still alive today, she'd be ashamed of ya! And she'd HATE ya, 'cos you made Suzan die! YOU did Dad! Not the car driver who ran her over, YOU!" Peter shouted before storming out of the house, slamming the door shut behind.

"Peter!" Carla called-out, worried about her boyfriend.

"Don't Carla!" Deirdre advised-her. "He needs some space. Give him some time to get his thoughts together." She explained-to the worried-girl calmly.

"He's right. This is all my fault." Ken said sadly as he then headed-upstairs by himself.

The next morning, Carla headed-into college by herself, Peter hadn't returned home last-night, and she was worried, but she couldn't miss out on college, and maybe Peter would be there.

As Carla walked-into the classroom that morning, she was relieved-to find that Peter was sat-in his ordinary seat. She went and placed herself next-to him.

"You didn't go home last-night. I stayed-over to help Deirdre out." Carla told Peter truthfully.

"She doesn't deserve your help." An angry Peter replied, he looked awful, and college was the last place that he should have been at that moment, but at-least he wasn't hurt, well not physically anyway…..

"Where did you stay last night?!" Carla asked-him, wanting to change the subject.

"Why?! What does it matter?!" Peter snapped-at Carla.

"Peter, come-on….." Carla sighed.

"On a mate's sofa….." Peter finally gave-in. "And before you say anything else, I am NOT going home. I refuse to see Ken Barlow ever again!"

"But he's your Dad….." Carla trailed-off sadly.

"That man is not my Dad." Peter replied.

"Well, if you don't wanna go home, then at least come back to mine, hey?! I mean, I know my Mum & Dad aren't the most welcoming of people, but at-least you'll have an actual bed to sleep in. It's gotta be better than a mate's sofa….." Carla softly suggested-to Peter.

"Okay then. Thank You." Peter replied once-again, but not once making eye-contact with Carla, or with anyone for that matter as he threw himself into his work.

Over-at Number One, Ken was currently in Suzan's old bedroom sorting through all of her things.

"Are you okay Love?!" Deirdre asked-him from the bedroom doorway.

"She wasn't a very girly girl was she?! I mean, this make-up isn't even opened….." Ken said.

"Some girls aren't into all of that stuff. But Suzan didn't need all of that slap on. She was a very pretty girl." Deirdre told Ken as she carefully approached-him and sat-down onto the bed.

"She was just like her Mother…..Was….." Ken frowned sadly, on the verge of tears now.

"It's Alright Love. Let it all out. Come-On." Deirdre urged-him, and eventually he broke-down and cried as Deirdre held-him.

"I never meant for any of this to happen Deirdre." Ken cried.

"Ken, this isn't your fault." Deirdre tried-to re-assure him.

"Yes it is. Suzan stormed-out because of me, and if she hadn't of stormed-out then she wouldn't have been run-over which means that she would still be alive today, and Peter wouldn't be absolutely fuming with me for essentially murdering his twin-sister." Ken said, wholly blaming himself for Suzan's death.

"Ken, stop-it. Don't talk like that." Deirdre told-him, her heart breaking for her partner as she did-so.

Later-on that day, and it was lunchtime over-at the college, Peter was sat-on one of the outdoor benches, quietly thinking to himself. Carla was sat next-to him, she just sat-there in silence for a little-while, allowing Peter some time and the space to think alone. When the time felt appropriate, she spoke-up.

"I liked Suzan. She was really nice." Carla said, and she was convinced that-that was totally the wrong thing to say to her grieving boyfriend, but there was only one way to find-out…..

"She was my best-mate." Peter replied calmly. "I mean, yeah we fought…..But it's different when you're twins…..We knew each-other inside-out." He confided-in Carla truthfully.

"I wish I could have gotten to know her better….." Carla trailed-off as Peter then finally turned his head to look at Carla.

"She liked you." He said with a small-smile, the first smile that he had shown ever-since the news of Suzan's death had been broken to him. "She said she thought you made me happy."

"Well was she right?!" She asked-him.

"Yeah she was. Suzan was always right." Peter said. "Just like she was right to be angry at my Dad for letting Deirdre move-in. I'll never forgive him Carla. Never!" He told her, his anger quickly re-appearing as he stood-up and then began to walk-off.

After college that day, Carla arranged-to meet Deirdre in town in a small and quiet coffee-shop.

"How's Ken doing?!" Carla asked Deirdre rather-thoughtfully.

"He's devastated, and understandably. He was sorting through Suzan's things today. He blames himself." Deirdre told Carla.

"Yeah and Peter blames-him." Carla sighed. "What do I do Deirdre?! How do I get through to him?!" Carla asked the Older Woman.

"Oh don't ask me that Love. You know Peter. You know him better than I do that's for sure. You're a bright girl Carla, you'll find a way to get Peter through this." Deirdre told his kindly.

"Well thanks Deirdre. Listen, I better go and find Peter. Tell Ken that Peter is staying-at mine tonight will ya?! He just can't face coming-home yet." Carla replied-to Deirdre.

"Okay. And that's probably for the best Carla. It will only cause more arguments if he comes home when he doesn't want to." Deirdre told Carla truthfully.

_**Please-Review!**_

_**Coming-Up…..**_

_Ken finds a letter from Suzan, addressed to Peter, will he open it, or will he wait for Peter to return home?!_

_Peter visits his Mother__'s grave as he tries to come to terms with everything. _

_We meet Carla__'s parents and her younger brother Rob._

_But when Rob immaturely winds-up a vulnerable Peter, what will happen?! _


	3. Chapter 3

_**Thanks for the reviews guys! - Just a little warning that the letter from Suzan (Which is written in italics) may be triggering to some. **_

A couple-of days later, and Ken was now sorting through the last of Suzan's things. The crying seemed to have faded-now but the bereaved Father still felt utterly devastated over his Daughter's Death.

He was just about to chuck a load of stuff into a box for safe keeping, when he found an envelope with Peter's name on it. The poor man had thought nothing of it until he had recognised the hand-writing on it as Suzan's. Ken was tempted to open-it, but he chose to leave it for the time being, this was for Peter's eyes and his eyes only…..

Elsewhere, Carla had accompanied Peter to his Mother's grave. He had been such an angry young man ever since Suzan's death, and Carla had suggested going-to his Mother's grave as a way of calming-him down and helping him to focus. As they approached the grave, Peter stopped in his tracks and took a deep-breath-in.

"Are you okay?!" Carla asked-him softly.

"Yeah." Peter replied-to her a little tearfully. "It just makes it all real being here, ya know?!" He said, before walking-over to his Mother's Grave and crouching-down in front of it.

Carla had decided to remain stood just where she was for the time-being. She wanted-to give Peter some space.

"Hiya Mum. Suzan will be joining ya soon. Doesn't seem right, loosing both of ya." Peter said sadly, before looking-up at Carla. "What's the use?! It's not like she can hear me is it?!" He cried.

Carla quickly walked-over to Peter, crouching-down next-to him like he was and putting a comforting arm around his shoulders.

"Heyyy of-course she can. Of-Course she can hear-ya. And she would be SO so proud-of ya Baby." She whispered-to him gently.

"But Suzan can't hear-me. Not anymore." Peter said sadly.

"Yes she can. Peter listen to me, Suzan would want ya to stay strong wouldn't she?! And you're doing so well, so keep-at it darlin'." Carla told-him sweetly.

A couple-of tears fell from Peter's eyes upon hearing Carla's words. He tried-to hold them in and wiped them away instantly, but Carla knew that he needed a good-cry.

"Hey come-on, let-it all out Sweetheart. Let it all out." Carla said as she held her boyfriend closely. It was then that he finally broke-down into floods-of tears. "It's okay Baby. I'm Here." She whispered-to him soothingly as she softly planted a soft-kiss into his short-hair.

A little while later, and this unopened envelope from Suzan was really beginning to bug Ken. He desperately wanted-to open-it, but Peter was angry enough with him as it was, did he really want to risk angering his Poor-Son any further?!

"Are you alright Love?!" Deirdre asked the man.

Ken showed Deirdre the envelope with Peter's name on it. "It's from Suzan. I don't know whether I should open it or wait for Peter to come home….." Ken told Deirdre sadly.

"Well it's addressed to Peter, Love. But I'm sure he'll tell ya what it's all about?!" Deirdre tried-to re-assure her completely Broken Partner.

"But will he though?! I mean, we haven't exactly been on great terms recently….." Ken trailed-off, disappointed that things had turned-out this way…..

"It's totally down to Peter's decision, Ken. And I'm afraid that there's not much that you can do about that." Deirdre told-him seriously.

"Ugh. What a mess." Ken stated.

"I know, but we'll get through this, we always do." Deirdre replied, putting an arm around her Partner.

Carla & Peter were now walking-home from the Cemetery. As they walked-together, Carla had her arm wrapped-securely around Peter's waist.

"Do ya wanna come back to mine for a bit?!" Carla asked-him softly.

"I need to go home first, and pack some clothes and stuff." Peter replied-to Carla quietly.

"Okay then. We'll do that." Carla agreed. "How are ya feeling now?!" She asked-him ever-so gently.

"I dunno…..Numb…..A bit lost I suppose….." He replied, his eyes stained with red from where he had been crying so much.

"Do ya miss her?! Suzan that is." Carla questioned-him.

"All the time. I keep thinking, if I'd have stopped her from leaving the house, or if I'd have done something differently, then maybe she'd still be alive right now….." Peter confided-in Carla.

"No Baby. Don't blame yourself. Suzan wouldn't want ya to feel guilty." Carla said as they arrived back-at Number One, on Coronation Street.

"Wouldn't she?!" Peter questioned as he opened the door and was greeted-by a nervous looking Ken & Deirdre. "I thought you'd be out." He scowled-at them both.

"Peter, we've got something that we need ya to read, it's a letter, and it's from Suzan." Ken explained-to his Son. Who looked completely shocked-at his Father's Words.

"From Suzan?!" Peter questioned, a little confused.

"That's right." Ken replied as he handed the unopened envelope over-to his Son.

Peter took the envelope upstairs before he opened-it. Once he had reached his bedroom, he leaned-nervously against the corner of his desk, before beginning to read the letter. Carla had stayed downstairs to give him some space. The letter read this…..

_Dear Peter,_

_My baby brother. I know we're twins, but you're the youngest. Remember?! Anyway, I guess by now you'll know what has happened to me, and I want ya to know that I'm okay with it. I planned-it. Just like I planned this letter. I had considered it for a while, but I just couldn't take things how they were anymore. And they weren't about to get any better. _

_So that's it, by the time you read this letter, I will be dead. But please don't be angry with me, I know that you'll be kicking-off at Dad right now, and we might not have parted-on good terms, but he's gonna need you Peter, just like you're gonna need him. So even if you're angry, please just be there for him. _

_By the way, I think you should stick with Carla. She's a gooden! I really like her Peter, and don't think I haven't seen the massive smile that comes onto your face whenever she enters the room. _

_Anyway, I guess this is goodbye. But it was meant to be, I'll pass your love on to Mum when I get to heaven. Please don't tell anyone about what I did, I'd rather they just thought it was an accident…..I know it's a big ask, and I'm sorry. But you're the only one who I know won't think badly of me for what I have done….._

_I love you loads Pete, don't be sad brother, and whatever you do, please don't be angry with me, but make me proud. _

_I love you so much, and together or apart, you'll forever be my twin._

_Suzan. xxxxx _

Peter didn't know how to handle what he had just read. So that was it?! Suzan had decided to take her own life, and he didn't even get to have a say in the matter. Peter thought it was unfair. Unfair on him, for being left behind. Fighting back tears, Peter screwed-up the piece-of paper and then threw-it onto his bed, before making his way downstairs.

"Peter?!….." Ken began, unsure of what to make of Peter's facial-expressions right-now. "Do ya need to talk Son?!"

Peter just shook his head at his Father, knowing that if he spoke he would end-up saying something that he would regret forever…..

"Baby, what dya wanna do?!" Carla asked-him softly.

"Can we go to yours now please?!" Peter asked-her tearfully.

"Of-Course we can." Carla replied, rushing-over to him and ushering-him outside as she could tell that he was just about to burst-into floods-of tears.

Back-inside, Ken looked-over at Deirdre. "I need-to know what that letter said Deirdre." He told-her completely seriously.

"You'll only regret-it if ya read it without Peter's permission, Love." Deirdre told-him softly.

It wasn't long before Carla & Peter had arrived-at Carla's House.

"You head-on upstairs I'll clear-it with Mum." Carla told Peter quietly, and he did as she had told-him too as she nervously made her way into the living-room.

"Mum?! It's only Me." Carla said.

"What's he doing 'ere?!" Her mother drunkenly slurred-at her.

"Peter's gonna be staying with me for a couple-of nights. He's had some bad-news." Carla told her Mother.

"Bad News?! Welcome to my world Carla!" Her Mother drunkenly replied-to her.

"Whatever Mum, where's Rob?!" Carla asked-her.

"Rob?! He's Upstairs." She replied once-again before Carla then headed-on upstairs to Peter.

When she reached her bedroom, Peter was sat-on her bed, curled-up in a ball, crying, with his head-down, whilst Rob was just stood-in the doorway, watching him.

"Sis, why's he crying?!" Rob asked Carla, a little insensitively.

"That's none-of your business Rob. Just go into your bedroom for a little bit yeah?!" Carla told-him firmly.

"That's pathetic. Boys don't cry!" Rob replied rather immaturely.

"Rob stop-it!" Carla warned-him.

"But it's true. He must be a wimp. Why are ya even going-out with him Carla?!" Rob asked his Older Sister spitefully.

Peter looked-up at Rob and just scowled-at him. "You wanna shut-up Mate." Peter said, still tearfully, but seriously all the same.

"Oh Yeah?! Well you wanna man-up!" Rob said, chuckling at Peter as the poor grieving kid got-up from the bed and began-to approach Rob.

"Do you wanna smack or what?!" Peter asked-him angrily.

"Peter, just ignore-him Babe." Carla intervened before things went too far. "Rob, stop being a wind-up. Now go-away please?!" She asked-her brother quite firmly once-again.

"He got off lucky this time." Peter said, letting-out a breath that he didn't realise he had been holding as he made his way back-over to the bed. "He's right though." He said as he sat-down. "I do need to man-up."

"Baby, don't say that. Now listen-to me….." Carla began as she sat-herself-down next-to Peter. "What did the letter say?! Don't feel like ya have to tell-me, 'cos it might be private, infact it probably is, but if ya ever wanna chat, then ya know that I'm always here for ya don't ya?!" She asked-her boyfriend softly.

"I know ya are. I just wish that Suzan could be here for me too…..But I can't tell ya what her letter said…..It would just cause trouble….." Peter trailed-off, getting nervous now.

"How'd ya mean?!" Carla asked-him curiously.

"Stop trying to get-it out of me Carla!" Peter warned-her sternly.

"Oh Baby, I wasn't trying-to. I just want-to help-ya…..That's all." Carla said as Peter lay back-on the bed, so she decided-to lie with him.

"I'm Sorry." Peter whispered softly to her.

"Don't be." Carla replied-to him with a voice that was also a whisper.

Peter then closed his eyes, completely and utterly exhausted-by the days events, and it wasn't long until his breathing settled-into a gentle rhythm and he was asleep. Carla briefly moved-to shut her bedroom-door so that they wouldn't be disturbed as she watched-over Peter for a little-while before falling-asleep herself.

_**Please-Review! **_

_**Coming-Up…..**_

_With the pressure-of keeping Suzan__'s secret hovers over Peter, he becomes angry at his Sister for what she has done….._

_Will he tell Carla?! _

_When Peter and Carla__'s Mum are left alone in the house together whilst Carla & Rob are at college & school, will Peter take the opportunity to drown his sorrows with his girlfriends Alcoholic Mother?! (Remember. - Peter is only 15 in this so therefore is not an alcoholic himself.)_

_**Then…..**_

_- The day of Suzan's Funeral arrives…..But can Peter forgive his Sister for what she did and bring himself to go?! _

_- Peter returns to College fairly soon after the Funeral, but is he really ready to go back so soon?!_

_- Ken & Deirdre find-out about Suzan's suicide….._


	4. Chapter 4

_**Sorry guys, I said that Peter was 15 in the previous chapter. - He's 17. Both him and Carla are. My bad. Oh and I apologise if updates are particularly slow at the moment, my laptop is broken which means I'm having to update from my iPad and it takes forever! **_

A week or so later and Peter still hadn't been back home or back at college for that matter. Infact, he had spent most of the time just moping around in Carla's bedroom, led in her bed whilst she was at college. Carla was stood infront of the mirror that morning doing her make-up whilst Peter was awake, but still in bed.

"Why don't ya come into college with me today?!" Carla gently suggested to her grieving boyfriend.

"I've told ya I'm not ready. No way!" Peter snapped at her grumpily as he pulled the duvet covers right over himself and shut his eyes firmly. Carla just sighed, she was just starting to get fed-up of Peter's moods now. He was grieving, and she understood that, but that gave him no right to snap at her like he just had done, and like he had done for the past week or so now. Choosing to ignore his mood, she went and sat on the edge of the bed, facing him as she did so.

"It might do ya some good to get out of the house Baby." Carla told him softly.

"What?! And have everyone shoot me sympathetic looks and say how it's quiet without Susan around anymore?! No thank you." Peter replied-to Carla rather firmly.

"They're just trying to be nice Peter. Anyway, I'm going to college, try not to fall out with my Mum...She's home all day..." Carla trailed off, kissing Peter on the cheek before disappearing.

A little while later at college, Carla met up with her best friend Michelle.

"How is Peter doing?!" Michelle asked as they sat in the classroom together.

"Not so good. He barely gets out of bed unless he's hungry or something like that...I'm really worried about him Michelle. And he's been dead grumpy this week aswell." Carla replied, confiding in her best friend.

"Well he has just lost his twin sister Car, ya can hardly blame him!" Michelle told her thoughtfully.

"I know I know. And I get that. I really do. And I'm trying to be gentle with him, but there's only so much longer I can keep up this nice act for." Carla said. "When's the funeral?!" Michelle asked.

"Next week. He's gonna have to get out of bed for that...I know he's angry, but the funeral is one of his only chances to start to move on with his life...I've left him at home with my Mum today...Cor I hope she doesn't bother him...Oh no 'Chelke what if they fall out and she ends up kicking him out?!" Carla panicked. Michelle rested her hand against Carla's nearest shoulder.

"Carla, that's not gonna happen. Now listen to me, it's probably doing Peter some good to have some time to himself. He'll just be thinking things through, trying to make some sense of what's happened to his at twin sister."

"I suppose so...Thanks for putting up with me Michelle." Carla replied and Michelle just smiled at her in reply.

Back over at the Donovan's, Peter had made his way downstairs and was now getting something to eat from the kitchen. Carla's Mum made her way through, she was surprisingly sober as she watched a busy Peter from the doorway, until he caught eye contact with her.

"What dya want?!" Peter asked her a little bluntly.

"It'll do ya no good lad. Moping around like this." The Woman told him really quite sternly in a thick Manchester Accent.

"My twin is dead. I'm hardly moping." Peter replied, defending himself.

"No need to be so rude!" Carla's Mother warned him.

"Rude?! No, this is grief. This ain't rude. Anyway, you can hardly talk, you're the one who gets herself drunk all day every day!" Peter argued back-at the Woman.

"It takes the pain away." She told him.

"Your pain maybe. But Not Carla's." He replied.

"I bet you wish you could take some of your pain away Lad..." She said.

"Well...Yeah..." He trailed off.

"Come and have a drink with me..."

"You've got a drink problem!"

"Yeah, and so in this case, sharing's caring. You're caring for me in that you're drinking some of the booze for me, so I won't get quite so bladdered as usual. And I'm caring for you 'cos you'll be able to forget all of your troubles for a little while. So what dya say?!" She asked him.

"It's not as though I have much of a choice now is it?!..." He replied, following her into the living room as they opened some cans together...

Elsewhere, at Number One, Deirdre walked into the living room to find Ken sat at the table with some paperwork infront of him.

"What are ya doing Love?!" Deirdre asked him softly as she sat herself down next to him.

"Planning Suzan's funeral. Well, trying to anyway..." Ken sighed sadly.

"What's wrong?! Sorry stupid question..." Deirdre trailed off, feeling bad for her partner as she did so.

"No it's a perfectly sensible question. I need Peter here. He knew Suzan better than I ever did..." Ken told Deirdre truthfully.

"Well they were twins Love, of course he did." She replied.

"No it was more than that though, I've been a pretty pathetic Father to those two, even before their Mum died I was no good. But I should have never sent them to live in Scotland. That is and always will be the biggest regret of my life. I sometimes think that's if I'd have bothered with them more when they were grieving for their Mother then me and Suzan would never have fallen out and she wouldn't have stormed out and gotten run over..." Ken trailed off rather tearfully.

"Oh Love, ya can't blame yourself for what's happened." Deirdre tried to reassure him, placing a comforting hand onto his shoulder as she did-so.

"Yes I can." Ken cried. "Yes I can and I always will!"

Back-at Carla's House, Peter was now just beginning to get drunk, along with Carla's Mother, who was quite tipsy herself.

"Steady there Lad." The Woman told the boy.

"Says you!" Peter chuckled back-at her.

"Yeah but you're younger than me." She told him.

"I might be younger but I've got just as much troubles." He half slurred in response to heR.

"Your Twin Sister's Dead, it's time ya manned-up and moved-on Laddy!" Carla's Mother told Peter a little harshly.

"What did you just say?!" Peter asked her with a slur rather aggressively as he stood up in defence for himself and his a Twin Sister.

"Oh just sit down will ya Lad?! You're drunk and you're gonna fall over if you're not careful. Ya lightweight." The tipsy Woman told him as Peter wobbled around the place.

"Who cares?! Suzan was stupid enough to kill herself so why shouldn't I be?!" Peter drunkenly blurted out, but this was a sobering thought for Carla's Mother.

"Hang on, did you just say that Suzan killed herself?!" The Older Woman asked Peter.

"SHUT UP!" Peter shouted, realising what he had just revealed-to the Woman before drunkenly staggering upstairs to Carla's bedroom in quite a hurry.

A while later, and Carla arrived home from college.

"Hiya Mum, has Peter been down yet?!" Carla asked heR.

"Yeah he came and had a drink with me earlier." Her Mother replied.

"Peter let you have a drink?! Hang on, you let Peter have a drink?!" Carla asked, horrified.

"Yeah, dya know that boyfriend of yours reveals all sorts when he's drunk..." The Woman chuckled.

"This isn't funny Mum. What did he tell ya?!" Carla asked her Mother extremely seriously.

"That his twinny killed herself..." Her Mother trailed-off. Carla said nothing more, she just ran upstairs to her bedroom as fast as she could, where she found Peter led-in her bed.

"Is it true?!" She asked him.

"Is what true?!" He replied.

"About Suzan...Ya know?! Committing suicide and all of that?!..." Carla asked Peter as sensitively as she possibly could.

"She told ya?! ARGH!" Peter shouted, punching the nearby wall with his clenched fist.

"Peter, I think you need to chat to someone about this..." Carla tried to advise him as she remained stood in the doorway of the bedroom.

"No!" Peter point blank refused.

"Does your Dad know about this?!" She questioned.

"Of course he flamin' well doesn't you idiot!" He replied.

"Don't talk to me like that." Carla told Peter seriously.

"Sorry." Peter replied, looking tearful all of a sudden. "It's okay." Carla sighed tiredly as she made her way over to the bed and sat by Peter's feet.

Suddenly, Peter received a text from his Father.

**_Ken: The Funeral is next Friday. Suzan would want ya there Peter._ **

Peter showed Carla the text.

"She won't want me there, I've revealed her biggest secret ever. She's gonna hate me." Peter said as he began cry.

"Secret?! Wait, ya mean that ya knew that she was gonna kill herself?!" Carla asked Peter rather curiously.

"Not until after it had happened. That letter that she wrote me...She told me in there...And she told me not to tell anyone, but now two people know already..." Peter said, barely able to speak clearly through the tears that were now choking him up.

"Oh Peter Baby come here." Carla replied-to him as she hugged Peter tightly

"Now. Listen to me, I know that this will be difficult for you to hear right now Peter, but it was wrong of Suzan to leave ya here on this earth with a secret that big on your hands. Ya had to tell someone Baby." Carla told him softly.

"Yeah but she asked me not to. And I did. How can I go to her funeral next week knowing that I've now broken the biggest promise that I've ever made?!...I'm not going Carla. I can't Go!"

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